[07/18/11 - 01:06 PM]NBC Heads to This Year's Comic-Con to Showcase New and Returning Shows"Awake," "Chuck," "Community" and "Grimm" are among the featured panels.

[via press release from NBC]

NBC HEADS TO THIS YEAR'S COMIC-CON TO SHOWCASE NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS

Network Will Take Over San Diego's Tin Fish Restaurant and Immerse Fans in an Exclusive Interactive Experience Featuring New Series "The Playboy Club," "Grimm," "Free Agents," "Up All Night" and "Whitney"

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - July 18, 2011 - NBC will make a big splash at this year's Comic-Con (July 21-24) in San Diego, showcasing several new and returning shows at the annual convention, including panel sessions and a series of off-site, fan-friendly interactive experiences. The network's star-studded panel sessions include new dramas "Awake," (FOX, Thursday, July 21 at 3:45 p.m.) and "Grimm" (Universal Media Studios, Saturday, July 23 at 4:15 p.m.), as well as returning comedies "Chuck" (Warner Bros. Television, Saturday, July 23 at 10 a.m.) and "Community" (Sony Pictures Television, Saturday, July 23 at 1 p.m.).

Additional information about the panel locations and participants is included below.

The network will take over a large portion of San Diego's Tin Fish restaurant (170 Sixth Avenue), located across the street from the Comic-Con site at the San Diego Convention Center. The space will be transformed into a series of themed experiences, allowing guests to enjoy a glimpse of the NBC's new dramas "The Playboy Club" and "Grimm," as well as new comedies "Free Agents," "Up All Night" and "Whitney."

Finally, on Saturday, July 23, NBC will host its annual "Blogger Party" at San Diego's Hard Rock Café. The invitation-only event will spotlight talent from several of the network's shows and will give writers and fans a chance to mingle with some of the network's biggest stars.

"Comic-Con is a terrific venue to share our new series with fans in a way that gives them a rich, enjoyable experience and a unique look into what is coming this fall," said Adam Stotsky, President, Marketing, NBC Entertainment. "We look forward to introducing viewers to our new shows at Tin Fish, as well as highlighting returning fan favorites 'Community' and 'Chuck' with attention-grabbing activities and food at The Hard Rock Café."

On Thursday, July 21, Tin Fish will channel the glamour and style of NBC's new drama "The Playboy Club," whose cast includes Eddie Cibrian as the intriguing Nick Dalton, Amber Heard as the stunning and innocent Bunny Maureen and Laura Benanti as Carol-Lynne, an established star at the club. A 1960's style Bunny will greet visitors at the door and welcome them to the exclusive space. Visitors can pose with the Bunny for photos, which will be printed on-site and uploaded to a micro-site on www.nbc.com where they can be shared with friends on Facebook, Twitter and NBC.com's Comic-Con site www.nbc.com/comic-con. Bunnies with cigarette trays will be distributing Playboy Club keys, which visitors can have shaped into their own house keys on site.

On Friday, July 22, Tin Fish will take on the eerie, atmospheric look of the network's new drama "Grimm," a provocative police procedural with supernatural mythology, inspired by the classic Grimm Brother's Fairy Tales. The new series hails from the writers behind "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (David Greenwalt) and "Angel" (Jim Kouf) and marks the new producing project of Todd Milliner and Emmy Award winner Sean Hayes. Complete with grassy, moss-laden décor, the restaurant will take on the lush feel of the forest featured in the series. At the scene of the crime, visitors can pose in front of a green screen and take a photo with a virtual "character" from the show. The photo will be printed on site and also uploaded to a micro-site on www.nbc.com, where fans can retrieve and share it with their friends on Facebook, Twitter and NBC.com's Comic-Con site, www.nbc.com/comic-con. Fans will also have an opportunity to get a "Grimm" logo airbrush skin patch.

Switching gears, on Saturday, July 23, NBC will showcase three new comedies "Free Agents" (starring Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn), "Up All Night" (starring Christina Applegate, Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph) and "Whitney," (starring Whitney Cummings and Chris D'Elia). Returning comedies "The Office," "Community" and "Parks and Recreation" also are featured at Tin Fish with themed snacks and giveaways. The restaurant will be decorated with larger-than-life photos from each show, featuring the characters in precarious positions. Fans will be invited to suggest their own funny captions for the photos, which will be posted on a massive scratch pad. Each hour, the most creative captions will be chosen with five second place winners being rewarded a gift card -- and one lucky winner per hour winning an X-Box.